Family Law

FAILURE TO READ SEPARATION AND PROPERTY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT DOES NOT WARRANT NULLIFICATION OF AGREEMENT

Jan 12, 2021

The court denied husband’s petition to set aside a property settlement agreement where husband had failed to read the entire document, because he failed to meet his burden of demonstrating fraud, duress or other type of wrongdoing. Husband and wife both signed a document entitled “separation and property settlement agreement” on May 4, 2020. […]

The Pandemic And Divorce- An Increase In Divorce Filings

Oct 06, 2020

In March 2020, many parts of the country went into lockdown disrupting the lives of people. The complete lockdown period, which last in some cases more than 3 months, placed great strain on familial and other close relationships. Suddenly, spouses who worked outside the home or shared different family responsibilities were locked down together […]

THE BENEFITS OF DIVORCE MEDIATION

Jul 02, 2020

If you would like to avoid the huge legal fee and conflict that has become part of modern day divorce, and you believe that and your spouse could discuss matters and work them out with some guidance, mediated divorce may be the answer you’ve been looking for. More and more courts today are allowing, or […]

Divorce Decree Forbidding Overnight Guests: Is An Occupant A Guest?

Jun 30, 2020

A divorce decree provision that forbids “overnight guests of the opposite sex” during parenting time is inviting a trip back to court sooner or later. Ordinarily, having a boyfriend or girlfriend move in so that he or she would be an “occupant” rather than a “guest” would probably not go over well with a judge. […]

DON’T RAID RETIREMENT FUNDS TO PAY FOR A DIVORCE.

Jun 17, 2020

Finding an attorney is one thing. Paying for their expertise is another, and many individuals find they’ve got to really stretch to cover the tab. A retirement fund is tempting source of cash. But it’s one that pros repeatedly caution against using. “Borrow the money instead. Using retirement money is the worst and you never […]

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DURING THE COVID-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC

May 25, 2020

Across the globe as more and more people are dealing with mandatory stay-at-home orders, the number of domestic violence incidents increases. People are being forced to stay in their homes almost twenty-four hours a day, often in close quarters with household members. On top of the close quarters, the global pandemic is causing high levels […]

WHAT ARE 529 PLANS AND FINANCIAL AID?

Dec 16, 2019

What are Section 529 Plans? Section 529 plans are named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), which was created in 1996 to authorize tax-free status for qualified tuition programs. A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for future education costs. These qualified tuition plans are sponsored […]

COURT DENIES ABSENT FATHER MONEY FROM SON’S WRONGFUL DEATH CASE

Oct 01, 2019

A father’s who “had been largely absent” from his 4-year old son’s life is not entitled to wrongful death proceeds from a lawsuit stemming from the child’s drowning. A three-judge Pennsylvania Superior Court panel consisting of judges Jack Panella, Deborah Kunselman and John Musmanno upheld a Philadelphia court’s decision that Carl Griggs forfeited his share […]

Estate Planning Options When a Beneficiary has a Substance Abuse Problem

Sep 21, 2018

MY CHILD HAS A SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEM; WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS WHEN PLANNING MY ESTATE? Do you have a child or relative that suffers from substance abuse? Drug and alcohol abuse is a growing problem affecting everyone from all economic backgrounds, ages, education or social status. This growing epidemic is changing the way people plan […]

Can I Ask the Court to Change a Child’s Last Name to Mine if I Am Not Married to Child’s Mother?

Sep 21, 2018

The answer to whether or not a child’s last name can be changed to the name of the unmarried father varies depending on the state that you are living in, and the laws of the state that establish paternity. The Rules for Last Names In most cases, the courts will allow a name change to […]